| Happy holiday week! The red-hot Kokandy Productions has announced its 2026 season at the Chopin Theatre. The season begins next summer with the “love-rock” musical
"Hair" on the mainstage in July, followed by a late summer run "Sunday in the Park with George" in the Downstairs Studio and concluding with a fall staging of "A Clockwork Orange: A Play with Music," an adaptation of Anthony Burgess’ famously dystopian novel, also coming to the Chopin mainstage. Single tickets will go on sale Feb. 2, 2026, at kokandyproductions.com. The Chopin Theatre is located at 1543 W. Division St. in Wicker Park. Chicago Shakespeare Theater has announced that Jaylon Muchison will play the moody Dane in Edward Hall's "Short Shakespeare! Hamlet," beginning Jan. 31. Also in the ensemble: Scott Aiello, Joe Foust, Charence Higgins, Beric Orion, Jessica Dean Turner and Maureen Yasko. The Goodman Theatre has announced the cast of Marco Antonio Rodríguez's English language adaptation of Junot Diaz's "The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao," coming in late February to the Owen Theatre: Lenin D’Anthony Izquierdo, Julissa Calderon, Rossmery Almonte, Yohanna Florentino, Kelvin Grullon, Jalbelly Guzmán and Arik Vega are in director Wendy Mateo's cast. American Blues Theater has announced its cast for "Come Back, Little Sheba" by William Inge, directed by Elyse Dolan: Philip Earl Johnson, Joslyn Jones, Gwendolyn Whiteside, Maya Hlava, Cisco Lopez and William Anthony Sebastian Rose II. Opening night is Feb. 12. Collaboraction Theatre has announced its opening production in its new home in Humboldt Park: "Trial in the Delta: The Murder of Emmett Till, " coming in Feb. 2026. It's co-adapted by Willie Round and G. Riley Mills and co-directed by Anthony Moseley and Dana Anderson. Collaboraction’s new home is in the Kimball Arts Center, 1757 N. Kimball Ave. in Humboldt Park. Lyric Opera of Chicago has announced that soprano Jennifer Holloway will play the title role in Richard Strauss’s "Salome," opening Jan. 25, 2026. Holloway will replace Elena Stikhina, who is withdrawing from the production due to pregnancy. Look out for all of our cool end-of-year content! Best Chicago shows of the year, best Broadway shows of the year and the best performances of the year! No newsletter next week, but I'll see you again on Monday, Jan.
4. May it be a soft-candy Christmas for you and those you love. — Chris Jones, chief theater critic Isaiah Bailey as The Phantom and Jordan Lee Gilbert as Christine Daaé in the national tour of
“The Phantom of the Opera” at Cadillac Palace Theatre. (Matthew Murphy) Our current list of Chris Jones Recommends: “Diary of a Black Illusionist” in an open run on Wednesdays at Chicago Magic Lounge; “White Christmas” through Dec. 29 at Paramount Theatre in Aurora; “Sister Act” through Jan. 11, 2026, at Drury Lane Theatre in Oakbrook Terrace; “Urinetown” through Jan. 4 at Theo Ubique Theatre in Evanston; “The Phantom of the Opera” through Feb. 11 at the Cadillac Palace Theatre; “Gaslight” through Jan. 4 at Northlight Theatre in Skokie. | 
